Project Summary/Abstract
Students work in teams to experience and explore relevant, real-world problems, questions, issues, and challenges; then create presentations and products to share what they have learned. A key component of our pedagogy will be professional development in cross curricular integration for STEM and how real world problems use content knowledge to provide a workable solution. The intent of this pedagogy is for teachers to understand how to use the core curriculum to provide a place where STEM learning applications fit without becoming an ‘add on subject’ for the curriculum. These projects will integrate the math, science and technology content knowledge into a project that provides solutions to real world problems.
The activities of this project will be sustained for a two-year grant period through the embedded curriculum and activities that were developed and the expertise of the teacher leaders. At the end of the two year grant, we will have developed a cadre of teacher leaders and approximately 5 classroom teachers who will be able to offer their learned expertise to others at their grade level, in their building and across the district. The teacher leaders will support instruction through modeling inquiry based lessons, mentoring teachers new to cross curricular instruction and through supporting needed modifications to Project Based Learning and STEM Application designed and implemented during this project.
Project Goals List each of your project goals here. At least one goal should relate to teacher learning and at least one goal should relate to student learning. Example goal: Fellows learn and implement at least 3 new classroom discipline strategies this year. Example goal: By the end of the year student discipline referrals in Fellow classrooms is at least 20% below the average referrals in his/her school.
Phase I - 2011-2012
1. Teachers will learn best practices in PBL/STEAM and apply them to a Bottle Rocket unit as measured by teacher-designed rubric or checklist. (Fall, 2011)
2. Students will have fewer office referrals (compare fall to spring NC Wise) and improve math achievement (compare fall math grades to spring, benchmarks) during the Bottle Rocket PBL/STEAM project
3. Identify places in the core curriculum where PBL/STEAM learning applications fit without becoming an ‘add on subject’ for the curriculum and design 6 PBL/STEAM units that are well-aligned and integrated. (Spring, 2012)
Phase II - 2012-2013
1. Increase student motivation and understanding of STEAM in the real world to create 21st century learners within the 2012-2013 school year.
2. Students will demonstrate high math achievement and engagement in 6 PBL/STEAM units of study.
Students work in teams to experience and explore relevant, real-world problems, questions, issues, and challenges; then create presentations and products to share what they have learned. A key component of our pedagogy will be professional development in cross curricular integration for STEM and how real world problems use content knowledge to provide a workable solution. The intent of this pedagogy is for teachers to understand how to use the core curriculum to provide a place where STEM learning applications fit without becoming an ‘add on subject’ for the curriculum. These projects will integrate the math, science and technology content knowledge into a project that provides solutions to real world problems.
The activities of this project will be sustained for a two-year grant period through the embedded curriculum and activities that were developed and the expertise of the teacher leaders. At the end of the two year grant, we will have developed a cadre of teacher leaders and approximately 5 classroom teachers who will be able to offer their learned expertise to others at their grade level, in their building and across the district. The teacher leaders will support instruction through modeling inquiry based lessons, mentoring teachers new to cross curricular instruction and through supporting needed modifications to Project Based Learning and STEM Application designed and implemented during this project.
Project Goals
List each of your project goals here. At least one goal should relate to teacher learning and at least one goal should relate to student learning.
Example goal: Fellows learn and implement at least 3 new classroom discipline strategies this year.
Example goal: By the end of the year student discipline referrals in Fellow classrooms is at least 20% below the average referrals in his/her school.
Phase I - 2011-2012
1. Teachers will learn best practices in PBL/STEAM and apply them to a Bottle Rocket unit as measured by teacher-designed rubric or checklist. (Fall, 2011)
2. Students will have fewer office referrals (compare fall to spring NC Wise) and improve math achievement (compare fall math grades to spring, benchmarks) during the Bottle Rocket PBL/STEAM project
3. Identify places in the core curriculum where PBL/STEAM learning applications fit without becoming an ‘add on subject’ for the curriculum and design 6 PBL/STEAM units that are well-aligned and integrated. (Spring, 2012)
Phase II - 2012-2013
1. Increase student motivation and understanding of STEAM in the real world to create 21st century learners within the 2012-2013 school year.
2. Students will demonstrate high math achievement and engagement in 6 PBL/STEAM units of study.